Only a few days are left until the announcement of Bihar election dates. A team from the Election Commission of India, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, has arrived in Patna for the final review of election preparations. Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and S.S. Sandhu also reached Patna late on Friday night.
Patna: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission team have arrived in Patna for a two-day visit to review the preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and S.S. Sandhu also reached Patna late on Friday night with the commission. The objective of this visit is not only to take stock of the election preparations but also to formulate the final strategy through discussions with political parties and administrative officials.
Key activities during the Election Commission team's visit include meetings with representatives of political parties, discussions with administrative officials, and coordination meetings with the Central Armed Police Force. The term of the Bihar Assembly ends on November 22, 2025, and elections are likely to be held in multiple phases in late October or November.
Meeting with Political Parties
Today, the Chief Election Commissioner will meet with representatives of various national and state-level political parties at a major hotel in Patna. A maximum of three leaders from each party will participate in this meeting. The main objective of the meeting is to gather the parties' opinions on various aspects of voter lists, the voting process, and election preparations. According to a letter issued by Additional Chief Electoral Officer Amit Kumar Pandey, the following major parties will be included in this meeting:
- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
- Indian National Congress (INC)
- Janata Dal (United) (JD-U)
- Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)
- Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
- National People's Party (NPP)
- Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP)
- Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJP-R)
- Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP)
- Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M)
- Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI-ML Liberation)
During this meeting, the Election Commission will gather feedback on issues such as improvements in voter lists, EVM and VVPAT systems, election security, and transparency.
Meeting with Administrative Officials
After the meeting with political parties, the Chief Election Commissioner will hold a meeting with police and administrative officials. This will include:
- Divisional Commissioners
- All District Magistrates and District Election Officers
- SSPs and SPs
On Sunday, the commission's team will meet with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Central Armed Police Force, and senior officials of the state government. This will include the Chief Secretary, Secretaries, and DGP, among other senior officials. The objective of these meetings is to ensure the security, freedom, and fairness of the elections. Additionally, discussions will cover the preparation of polling stations, security arrangements, and technical assistance in various districts.
